The Andrews Labor Government is tackling climate change, growing new green spaces, driving down pollution and creating jobs in Melbourne’s growing western suburbs with the next phase of the More Trees for a Cooler, Greener West program.
Minister for Environment Ingrid Stitt today announced the next round of grants and locations for 131,504 new trees that will be planted by mid-2024. This will add to the 192,000 already planted since the beginning of the program.
This round is investing over $2 million to plant both mature and young trees at 76 locations across Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Brimbank, Melton, Moonee Valley and Wyndham Local Government Areas.
The new trees will be planted outside schools, along trails, in parks and on residential streets, creating more shaded, cooler spaces for local communities.
A partnership with Environment Education Victoria will see schools receive funding and trees to plant in schools throughout the west and education materials provided as part of the Resource Smart Schools program.
An urban forest is also being delivered in Brooklyn, with 3,000 tubestock trees being planted in an area of underutilised public land with guidance from the Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek.
Western Melbourne has the lowest tree canopy cover in metropolitan Victoria, with just 5.5 per cent of urban tree cover in Melbourne in 2018, compared to 17.4 per cent in the inner south-east and 25.9 per cent in the east.
The new trees will add to the thousands of hectares of new open space and parklands delivered under the $315 million Suburban Parks Program, which is providing more than 6,500 hectares of parkland, walking trails, bike trails, pocket parks and dog parks – including 22 new and upgraded parks in Melbourne’s west.
For details about projects funded in the third phase visit environment.vic.gov.au/more-trees
As stated by Minister for Environment, Ingrid Stitt
“We’re planting more trees for a cooler and greener west. Together with our investment in parks, we’re boosting liveability, improving air quality and tackling climate change to reach net zero emissions by 2045.”
“We’re partnering with councils, land managers and schools to invest in communities in the west and understand the needs of locals in an effort to increase tree canopy coverage where it is needed most.”
As stated by Member for Laverton Sarah Connolly
“We’re creating green spaces for residents of the west for generations to come. Hundreds of thousands of trees will enhance biodiversity, create more open green space and improve air quality across the west.”
